Resilient Coupler for Hearing Aid Testing Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hearing aid testers using a 2-cm^3 metal coupler face challenges in securely and consistently connecting the sound emitting portion of air conduction hearing aids to the coupler, leading to inaccurate and inconsistent test results due to variability in the position and orientation of the sound emitting portion, and difficulties in achieving a reliable seal.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a resilient surface and passage design that securely receives and retains the sound emitting portion of hearing aids, providing a consistent orientation and seal, and is shaped to conform to the concha or ear canal, allowing for accurate simulation of the hearing aid's condition during testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a 2-cm^3 metal coupler is used for hearing aid testing, then the test equipment can be designed with standard dimensions, but the connection to the sound emitting portion of hearing aids becomes inconsistent and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the coupler by incorporating a resilient surface that can deform to match different sound emitting portion geometries. This allows the coupler to maintain reliable connections across various hearing aid types while keeping the overall coupler dimensions standardized for manufacturing and testing purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient surface is strategically positioned at the interface where the sound emitting portion contacts the coupler. This localized resilient region provides adaptive gripping and sealing without requiring the entire coupler structure to be complex or non-standard, thus resolving the contradiction between standard dimensions and connection reliability.
2Ease of operation
If adhesive putty is used to connect the sound emitting portion to the coupler, then the connection process is simple, but the position and orientation of the sound emitting portion becomes variable and inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the adhesive-based mechanical connection system with a resilient mechanical gripping system. The resilient surface physically retains the sound emitting portion through elastic deformation, providing consistent positioning and orientation without requiring adhesive application, thus eliminating the variability inherent in putty-based connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient surface automatically adapts to the geometry of the sound emitting portion and provides self-aligning retention. When the sound emitting portion is inserted, the resilient surface deforms to grip it securely, eliminating the need for manual adjustment or precise pre-positioning, thereby ensuring consistent measurement conditions.
3Productivity
If the sound emitting portion is not securely retained, then the testing process is faster, but the seal becomes unreliable and test results become inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient surface acts as a disposable, single-use retention mechanism that is integrated into the coupler. It provides reliable sealing and retention during the testing process without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms or multiple components, thus maintaining testing efficiency while ensuring accurate results through consistent sealing.
4Manufacturing precision
If a rigid connection structure is used, then the manufacturing precision can be maintained, but the adaptability to different sound emitting portion shapes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a resilient surface that can change its physical state from a relaxed configuration to a deformed gripping state when the sound emitting portion is inserted. This parameter change allows the rigid coupler structure to adapt to different geometries while maintaining manufacturing precision, as the resilience is built into the material properties rather than requiring complex adjustable mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus ensures secure and repeatable connection of the sound emitting portion to the hearing aid tester, providing more accurate and reliable test results by maintaining a consistent position and orientation, and achieving a practical seal, thereby improving the accuracy of hearing aid performance measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient surface within the passage that resiliently deforms when the sound emitting portion is received in the passage for retaining the sound emitting portion in the passage
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention includes an apparatus for connecting a hearing aid tester to a sound emitting portion of a hearing aid that fits into the concha or ear canal of a user, the apparatus including a body having a front end and a rear end, a passage within the body for receiving the sound emitting portion and extending from an opening near the front end to an opening near the rear end, the opening near the front end for connecting the passage to the hearing aid tester, and a resilient surface within the passage that resiliently deforms when the sound emitting portion is received in the passage for retaining the sound emitting portion in the passage. The invention also includes a method of forming the apparatus and a method of testing a hearing aid having a sound emitting portion that fits into the concha or ear canal of a user.